The Jiji and Mulembwe hydropower project will finance construction of two hydropower stations of combined 48 megawatts capacity and will provide Burundians with affordable, clean, reliable, and sustainable energy.Read More »

Ratings for the Emergency Energy Project
for Burundi were as follows: outcomes were moderately
satisfactory, risk to development outcome was moderate, Bank
performance... Show More + was moderately satisfactory, and Borrower
performance was moderately satisfactory. Some lessons
learned included: in emergency operations, a delicate
balance needs to be found between speed, the implementation
risk, and project quality. Tendering procedures be employed
in emergency operations should balance the need for speed
and the procurement risk. Particularly for emergency
operations in fragile countries, for which time is of the
essence, strong technical support will need to be put in
place timely to mitigate design and implementation risks. Show Less -

The development objective of the Water,
Electricity, and Urban Development Project for Republic of
Congo is to increase sustainable access to basic
infrastructure, services,... Show More + and safe drinking water for the
inhabitants of targeted areas in the recipients cities of
Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. The additional financing (AF)
is presented to address urgent needs in the energy sector in
Congo. The AF will scale up activities envisaged under the
electricity component of the original project to finance
investments needed for electrical infrastructure in selected
zones of Brazzaville and Pointe Noire. The AF will focus on
the implementation of the electricity sector reform to
achieve a sound and dynamic electricity sector able to cope
with the countrys economic growth and its many challenges.
The AF will involve an extension of the project closing date
and a revision of the project development objective (PDO)
and results framework. An additional 48 month-extension of
the project closing date from December 31, 2015, to December
31, 2019, is required to implement the additional
activities. The AF will support the following: (i) upgrading
of the national electricity company (SNE) electricity
distribution and transmission system; (ii) improving the
operational performance of SNE in key business areas; and
(iii) institutional strengthening and capacity development
of SNE. Show Less -

While Mtwara municipality’s population currently stands at just 108,000, the discovery of enormous reserves of natural gas in the area has inspired more citizens who have trekked into the city over the... Show More + past two years.“Even before the gas economy takes off, scores of young people are arriving in the city every day from the villages,” said Rashid Mtima, the Mtwara District Executive Director. “They have been told that this is where they have to be if they are to get jobs. Luckily, we have this window of opportunity right now to prepare infrastructure that will adequately support a growing economy and population.”The modern landfill is just one of the priority investments supported under the TSCP, to replace the open dumpsites which were the norm in cities around the country. The new landfill is not only more compact, but also more sustainable as their elaborate design – from the chain of garbage collection points to the leachate ponds where toxic fluids gather – prioritizes good environmental and hygiene standards.“This infrastructure is quite expensive but for a big city, as we expect Mtwara to become in the near future, the cost of not being strategic in your planning can be much higher in the future,” said Deogratius Dotto, the municipality health officer.Through the TSCP, Mtwara has also been able to improve its major roads such as Port (2.75km), Zambia (3.75km), Chuno (5.6km) Mikindani (1.9km) and Kunambi (1.9km), by paving and equipping them with pedestrian walkways, street lighting and drainage. The impact of the improvements on city life is already being felt. Along Chuno, property rates are already going up and residents are excited about the possibilities.“Since the refurbishment, we have seen more people moving into this area,” said Rashidi Mohammed, a butcher. “My plan is to buy a fridge so that I can grow my business from the current 20kg that I stock per day. Even after I’ve run out of stock, people still come around looking for meat in the evening; I see a lot of potential.”The operations of Olam cashew factory further along Port road are much smoother now.“Typically, we handle up to 40,000 tons of cashew-nut and related waste products on our premises in a given year,” said Joshua Nzoka, the factory manager. “We used to suffer from delays and associated costs in transporting our product. Typically, when it rained, the goods would not arrive within the planned times. But over the last two years, this has changed.”With the establishment of geographical information systems, authorities have been able to generate spatial data to facilitate tactical planning and decision-making, making them upbeat about the city’s prospects.“We have 3,000 plots already demarcated and these will be allocated strategically in line with our new master plan which was drawn bearing in mind the lessons learnt from the major cities in the country,” said Mtima. “We see this city playing a key role not just in Tanzania but in this southern sub-region and our infrastructure planning will be crucial to that function.” Show Less -

Onkokame Kitso Mokaila, minister of Minerals, Energy, and Water Resources, explained to the attendants of the workshop that conference is being held to look at the history as well as international best... Show More + practice, from which to learn and forge a successful way forward for Botswana’s renewable energy landscape.“The Energy Policy is currently being drafted and is expected to be finalized and be ready for approval by 2015,” Mokaila said. “The Energy Policy will provide a policy framework to guide effectiveness and sustainability in energy planning, development and provision. Renewable energy objectives and strategies will form part of the core of this policy.”Botswana has abundant solar energy resources, receiving over 3,200 hours of sunshine per year with an average insulation on a horizontal surface of 21MJ/m2, one of the highest rates of insulation in the world. It is essential to take advantage of the abundance of this resource.One key takeaway from the event is the need for Botswana to develop a detailed renewable energy strategy as part of its overall energy framework. Costs of renewable generation have come down so significantly in recent years that they can be cost competitive with traditional sources of generation.Minister Mokaila explained that challenges faced in these projects ranged from deficiencies on aspects such as information, finance, policy, institutional arrangements and perceptions. “Insufficient knowledge about available technologies and technological developments is also a contributing factor,” he said.The WBG was invited to shed light into the financing mechanisms for renewable energy as well as to share the success stories in renewable energy projects it has already financed. The WBG team emphasized the role that low carbon sources of energy could play as part of the country’s overall energy strategy.Joseph Kapika, WBG senior energy specialist, highlighted the clear space for adding in renewables on a large scale in Botswana.“While Botswana is endowed with 66% of Africa’s coal resources and has ambitious plans to exploit them for both domestic and export use, there are compelling reasons to be thinking strategically about bringing in renewables, both on-grid and as part of the country’s off-grid program,” Kapika said. “Though the share of renewable energy globally has remained flat, wind and solar are growing rapidly.”Solar and wind costs have dropped, and experience from South Africa shows that they can be cost competitive with thermal. There are limitations to the role that renewables can play in Botswana or any country which has baseload needs which cannot be fully met by renewables. However, the path to incorporating them can often be complex and requires overcoming various regulatory, policy, and/or financial obstacles. Through an engagement with the Ministry of Minerals, Energy, and Water Resources and the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife, and Tourism, the WBG is now poised to be a key partner with the government in helping the country to realize its ambitions to exploit its renewable energy assets. Show Less -

The Handbook offers suggestions on very practical challenges that developing countries face when trying to retain adequate staff and capacity to handle the complex nature of natural resource revenue administration.... Show More + While government salaries rarely compete with those of the private sector, the Handbook recommends that in resource-rich countries staff dedicated to revenue administration must have relatively competitive salaries in order to retain personnel. To overcome resource obstacles, the Handbook also recommends tactics such as training, performance management and recruitment practices that can help the government retain the professionals needed.The organization of tax administration and inter-agency cooperation in governments is also highlighted as a key component of success. Integrated administration within a tax department is cited as an effective structure due to its simplification and centralization of efforts into one government agency. On the other hand, the Handbook notes that there are many disadvantages of fragmented administration across different government agencies, such as duplication of work, lack of accountability and uncoordinated procedures, among others.“Everyone wants a piece of the pie when it comes to revenue windfalls, so centralization of natural resource revenue administration can be politically difficult, but it is key to ensuring quality control, transparency and capable staffing,” said Jack Calder, author of the Handbook and former Deputy Director of the U.K. Oil Taxation Office.Other challenges unique to natural resources that create special challenges for administration include the high uncertainty and risk inherent in the industry, huge variation in scale and profitability, substantial capital investment, complex commercial structures and long development periods, among many others factors. This long list of challenges and the vast revenues that the extractive industries generate give rise to major governance challenges, especially in a context of weak institutional capacities. The complexities and perceived difficulties of extractive industries revenue administration mean they can get less attention than they deserve. Tax-related administrative reforms and technical assistance to date have focused more on general rather than extractive industries-specific administration—even where EI resources often provide the higher proportion of government revenue. For example, in countries like Nigeria where 75% of total government revenues are hydrocarbon related, extra attention to the complexities of hydrocarbon tax administration is necessary for improved internal revenue mobilization.“Improved administration of revenue is a key component of effective governance of the extractive industries,” said Charles Feinstein, Director of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice of the World Bank Group. “This publication makes an important contribution to knowledge on best practices that can help direct extractive industry revenues towards poverty alleviation and boosting shared prosperity.” Show Less -

Washington, D.C., August 6, 2014 -- The World Bank Group today signed agreements for the Tobene Independent Power Project in Taiba Ndiaye in Senegal. These included a 93.4 million euro financing agreement... Show More + arranged by IFC and a $40 million equivalent IDA partial risk guarantee project agreement. The project will provide power to over one and half million residents in Senegal.Located 90 kilometers north-east of Dakar, the 96 megawatt independent power producer (IPP) has been structured on a build, own and operate basis to provide much needed electricity for consumers and businesses in Senegal. The early stage development of the 123 million euro heavy fuel oil-fired plant was led by IFC InfraVentures, IFC’s infrastructure project development fund.Melec PowerGen, an affiliated company of the Matelec Group of Lebanon, will own at least 90 percent of the plant. IFC will retain a 10 percent stake in the project upon completion of a proposed equity investment. Senelec, the Senegalese national power utility, has signed a 20 year power purchase agreement for the electricity to be generated.“The World Bank Group has laid the groundwork for us to make a long term investment in Senegal’s power sector. We look forward to being a part of the country’s continued economic growth as we work with our partners to complete the Tobene project,” said Mr Sami Soughayar, CEO of Matelec.“This financing is part of a suite of World Bank Group instruments supporting generation, transmission, distribution, and rural energy access in Senegal, which is anchored in a strong sector dialogue with the Senegalese Government. We are also assisting Senegal to integrate in the West African Power Pool so it can access other affordable energy sources, including gas from Mauritania and hydropower from Guinea”, said Makhtar Diop, Vice President for the World Bank’s Africa Region.“We are pleased to once again partner with Melec PowerGen, a longstanding IFC client, to address Senegal’s significant power constraints,” said Jean Philippe Prosper, IFC Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. “By drawing on IFC InfraVentures’ development expertise, IFC’s financing and mobilization capability and the World Bank’s partial risk guarantee program we are greatly enhancing our ability to support key infrastructure projects, such as Tobene, across Africa.”The IFC-arranged financing includes a 28.5 million euro loan for IFC’s account, a 25 million euro syndicated loan from the UK-based Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF), a 25 million euro syndicated loan from the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) and a 14.9 million euro equivalent parallel CFA loan from the West African Development Bank (BOAD). IDA provided a $40 million partial risk guarantee for the Tobene project.About the World Bank GroupThe World Bank Group plays a key role in the global effort to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. It consists of five institutions: the World Bank, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA); the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Working together in more than 100 countries, these institutions provide financing, advice, and other solutions that enable countries to address the most urgent challenges of development. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org, www.ifc.org Show Less -

WASHINGTON, August 5, 2014 - The World Bank Group today committed $5 billion in new technical and financial support for energy projects in six African countries-- Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria,... Show More + and Tanzania—which have partnered with President Obama’s Power Africa initiative.Making the announcement on the second day of the 1st US-Africa Summit, World Bank Group President, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, said the new financial commitment was urgently needed to generate more electricity for the people of Africa, 600 million of whom have no access to electricity, despite the fact that Africa possesses some of the world’s largest hydropower, geothermal, wind and solar potential, as well as significant oil and natural gas reserves.“We think that the U.S. Power Africa initiative will play an extremely important role in achieving the goal of providing electricity for Africa. So today I'm very pleased to announce that the World Bank Group, following President Obama's lead, will partner with Power Africa by committing $5 billion in direct financing, investment guarantees, and advisory services for project preparation in Power Africa's six initial partner countries, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. The U.S. Government and the World Bank Group are working now on specific tasks and milestones which could help to achieve one quarter of Power Africa's goal of generating 10,000 megawatts of new power in Sub Saharan Africa,” Kim said.Africa’s power crisis forces families and communities to spend significant amounts of their income on costly and unhealthy forms of energy, such as diesel generators or wood for indoor cooking fires. Africa has vast hydropower potential but uses just 8 percent of this untapped water force. In comparison, Western Europe uses 85 percent of its available hydropower potential, which has contributed to their economic development and industrialization.“Like Europe and the rest of the world, Africa deserves the same opportunity to exploit this green source of power to improve the lives and economic prospects of its people,” said the World Bank’s Vice President for Africa, Makhtar Diop. “Beyond building up power generators, they must be connected to the market, which calls for regional cooperation to build the transmission network. We are working with African leaders and their development partners to create power pools in Africa’s East, West, Central, and Southern sub-regions. Those countries with abundant geothermal, gas, hydro, solar, and wind resources can feed their excess power supply into a common pool, while neighboring states with less energy and generation capacity can benefit from this integrated approach to delivering electricity to their people. “ Show Less -

WBG to commit $5 billion in direct financing, investment guarantees, advisory servicesWASHINGTON, August 5, 2014 — The following are selected quotes from World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim when he... Show More + made opening remarks at the “Powering Africa: Leading Developments in Infrastructure” session during the U.S. – Africa Business Forum:“Africa has had two decades of very strong economic growth. But the encouraging growth story will only continue if the continent tackles its problem of infrastructure. Our studies show that the poor state of the infrastructure in Sub Saharan Africa, including electricity, water, roads, and ICT cuts countries' economic growth by two percentage points every year. And it reduces business productivity by as much as 40 percent. These losses take an enormous human toll -- in addition to taking a toll on economic growth.”“We think that the U.S. Power Africa initiative will play an extremely important role in achieving the goal of providing electricity for Africa. So today I'm very pleased to announce that the World Bank Group, following President Obama's lead, will support Power Africa by committing $5 billion in direct financing, investment guarantees, and advisory services for project preparation in Power Africa's six initial partner countries. That's Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. The U.S. Government and the World Bank Group are working now on specific tasks and milestones for projects that if implemented would achieve one quarter of Power Africa's goal of generating 10,000 megawatts of new power in Sub Saharan Africa.”“We should never, ever doubt the potential of Africa not only to solve its problems but to grow in a way that will boost up the entire world. You know, it was the developing countries during 2008 to 2013 that accounted for more than half of global growth. We at the World Bank Group believe in Africa.”“The opportunities are enormous. Just imagine an investment in electricity in Burkina Faso that will not only provide you with very strong returns but will reduce the price and increase the access to electricity for the people of Burkina Faso. We know we can do it. Together with all of you we look forward to the next meeting of the United States Government and African leaders when we can talk about the great things that we've accomplished for our companies and on behalf of the people of Africa.” Show Less -

This paper presents the results of two
field experiments on local accountability in primary health
care in Uganda. Efforts to stimulate beneficiary control,
coupled... Show More + with the provision of report cards on staff
performance, resulted in significant improvements in health
care delivery and health outcomes in both the short and the
longer run. Efforts to stimulate beneficiary control without
providing information on performance had no impact on
quality of care or health outcomes. The paper shows that
informed users are more likely to identify and challenge
(mis)behavior by providers and as a result turn their focus
to issues that they can manage locally. Show Less -

Ratings for the Sustainable Energy
Development Project for Rwanda were as follows: outcomes
were satisfactory, the risk to global environment outcome
was moderate, the... Show More + Bank performance was satisfactory, and the
Borrower performance was also satisfactory. Some lessons
learned included: government leadership with a focus on
results and impact is paramount in achieving expected impact
from technical assistance. Financiers and project
implementers should be aware that a strong and sustained
government commitment is a key in driving the development
agenda, especially where policy actions and incentives are
required. Knowledge of specialized sectors, such as emerging
RE technologies, sometimes hinders local entrepreneurs in
venturing into such businesses because of a lack of local
skilled labor. The approach of an entrepreneur incubator,
helping to develop business plans and feasibility studies in
addition to training local technicians and trainers at
institutions, could be instrumental equipping small and
medium start-up companies with the basic framework to
understand the business, and take advantage of local skills.
This is particularly important as small companies may not
have adequate financial capacity to invest in training of
their staff. Operations that target policy and institutional
development need to be addressed holistically, as lack of
one intervention could render the outputs of the support
activities not attaining the intended outcome. In addition,
lessons from this project also highlight the need for
realism with regard to what the project and other
complementary operations can directly influence. Show Less -

Ratings for the Bumbuna Hydroelectric
Environmental and Social Management Project for Sierra Leone
were as follows: outcomes were moderately unsatisfactory,
the risk... Show More + to development outcome was high, the Bank
performance was moderately unsatisfactory, and the Borrower
performance was also moderately unsatisfactory. Some lessons
learned included: the measures necessary for environmental
and social safeguards compliance were revised and extended
several times during project implementation. Many of the
revisions were initiated by the two panels of experts. For
instance, the size of the environmental offset was revised
upwards, including the addition of the Loma Mountain
National Park. The number of people to be compensated under
the resettlement action plan, or RAP also was revised during
project implementation. The installation of a siren system
was added when the recruitment of an experienced operator
did not take place in time. While adjusting the social and
environmental activities to changing circumstances is
sometimes necessary, the scope and frequency of revisions is
notable. The Bank's environmental and social safeguards
policies apply to the entirety of an infrastructure project
supported by the Bank and its associated facilities,
regardless of the extent of Bank support. In the case of the
Bumbuna project, most construction activities already had
been completed when International Development Association,
or IDA financing became effective. The project tried to
retrofit good performance on a hydropower development that
was already near completion. As the Bank was not financing
construction, it had no formal relationship with the
contractor. Given the frequent power outages in Sierra
Leone, the GoSL's interest was mainly on commissioning
BHP as soon as possible. After project restructuring, the
operation exclusively supported environmental and social activities. Show Less -